Should you buy cheap laptops? Is it worth buying a gaming laptop?

Buying a laptop is not like buying a smartphone, which you will most likely replace in a year or two. Most often, a laptop is purchased for 5-6 years. And therefore, it should be as productive as possible and satisfy your tasks - both now and in the future.

But choosing a laptop is not so easy. When you see the variety of models, your eyes literally run wild. Which one should I take? More expensive or more productive, or try to save money?

In this guide, we will teach you how to navigate this diversity and tell you in detail what parameters you should focus on when choosing a laptop so that it pleases you for a long time.

What type of laptop should I choose?

With all their diversity, laptops can easily be divided into three categories:

Tabletop. What distinguishes them is big screen(usually from 15 inches) and considerable weight (2 kg or more). In this category you can find both relatively inexpensive models and powerful machines with high performance, suitable for games, video processing or complex calculations.

Transformers. No, we are not talking about the legendary American film saga. Transformers is a "mixture" of a tablet and regular laptop. Their distinctive feature is a touch screen, so you can control them with your fingers or using a regular keyboard. Most often, transformers run on the Windows 10 operating system, but they can also have two operating systems on board: for example, Windows and Android.

Ultrabooks. Distinctive feature- minimal thickness and lightness. These babies weigh up to 1.3 kg, so you can easily take them with you. Of course, edit videos and play games with powerful graphics It’s hardly worth it on such “babies,” but expensive ultrabooks can compete with desktop ones in terms of performance.

Having decided on the type of laptop, it will be easier to decide which parameters to look for Special attention. For example, choosing a desktop or gaming laptop, it’s worth taking a closer look at how the cooling system works and. does it have enough connectors to connect peripherals, and when searching portable laptop— whether its screen is bright enough and whether the touchpad is convenient to use.

What laptop price should I aim for?

Okay, we've sorted out the types of laptops. What about the price? Here it is important to understand that there is a certain conditional gradation, certain frameworks that are set by both the buyers themselves and laptop manufacturers.

Moreover, these frameworks are quite strict. For example, you shouldn’t look for a powerful gaming laptop in the category from 30 to 60 thousand rubles, because you simply won’t find it for that kind of money. Or vice versa, an ultrabook in the category from 15 to 30 thousand rubles. Because in both cases you are unlikely to get a good device: most likely, it will be problematic or the seller from whom you buy it will be suspicious. Of course, you can then write a whole paragraph on the topic of why you should buy a laptop in “official” stores, but here everyone decides for himself: in any case, it is important to look at the seller’s rating and compare price and quality.

Laptops up to 15 thousand rubles

Seriously, I don't understand why laptops like this exist. Or rather, I understand, but I sincerely feel sorry for those people who fall for such proposals.

It’s better to save up a little and take a model from at least the second category. First of all, in order not to suffer with this device in the future. All options in this price category are either outdated or extremely low quality assemblies.

If 15,000 is the most you're willing to spend, you're better off buying something on the secondary market.

Laptops from 15 to 30 thousand rubles

This is the price category you should focus on if you are looking to buy an entry-level model with decent characteristics.

What laptop specs can you expect in this segment?

CPU: Most likely it will be Intel processor Celeron (entry-level processor, “not a fountain”, but suitable for undemanding tasks), but in some models you will also find Intel Core i3.

Understanding processors is not very easy. But here's the minimum you should know: i-series processors are the most powerful among all Intel processor models. The gradation is as follows: Celeron - Pentium - i. In turn, i-series processors are divided into four categories: Intel Core i3 - initial, Intel Core i5 - medium, i7 - high, i9 - high (almost not installed by laptop manufacturers, and is most often used in high-performance desktop solutions intended for hardware-demanding tasks. As for generations, the rule is simple: the newer, the better.

RAM: Here you can count on 8 GB at best. This is quite enough for comfortable work operating system, and launching various office applications.

Screen: I wouldn’t count on an FHD screen (that is, with a resolution of 1920x1080) either - most likely you’ll have to be content with 720p (but closer to 30 thousand you can find an option with FHD resolution.

Graphic arts: You'll have to make do with the integrated Intel HD Graphics. This means that you can comfortably watch movies and YouTube, but you will have to forget about games.

What you definitely won't get: Don’t even dream about any Nvidia 1050, and it’s out of the question. About SSD drive you can also forget. In a nutshell, an SSD drive is needed for more fast loading OS and applications. In addition, manufacturers of laptops in the lower price category often skimp on connection connectors external devices, they install not the highest quality matrices and use cheap plastic in the case.

Now let's see what interesting models laptops from 15 to 30 thousand rubles can be found based on the parameters described above:

Desktop laptop up to 30,000 rubles:

The clear winner in the “desktop laptop” category under 30 thousand is the model (26,070 rubles). The laptop uses a mid-range AMD A10 9620P processor. Display - FHD, 8 gigs of RAM, stated operating time - 8.5 hours.

Flaws: No operating room Windows systems and it uses an AMD processor, not an Intel one.

Transformable laptop up to 30,000 rubles:

Once again, the “winner” in this category is a laptop from HP. This time the model (28,990 rubles). Processor - Intel Pentium, FHD screen, 4 GB random access memory, And operating system Windows 10 Home.

Flaws: The only thing missing is an SSD, but it would be extremely stupid to “ask” for that kind of money.

Ultrabook up to 30,000 rubles:

Here we simply put a dash, because there are no worthy ultrabooks under 30 thousand.

Laptops from 30 to 60 thousand rubles

What laptop characteristics can you expect in this segment?

CPU: Most laptops in this price category are equipped with fairly recent Intel Core processors (there are options with both i3 and i7) of the Kaby Lake generation.

RAM: Options with 16 GB of RAM are available, but most likely it will be 8 GB

Screen: Here you will definitely get a laptop with an FHD display, but you can even find matrices with a 2K resolution.

Graphic arts: Nvidia GTX 1050 (quite possible to play on medium and low graphics settings, perhaps GTX 1060 (closer to 60k) (for games on medium or in some cases high settings) or similar.

What you definitely won't get: Nvidia GTX 1070 (more than enough to play all modern games on ultra settings at FHD resolution).

Desktop laptop from 30,000 rubles

(58,990 rubles). This great model, there is an Intel Core i5 (Kaby Lake generation) processor, and an FHD display, even an Nvidia GTX 1050 is installed. In addition, there is an SSD on which the Windows 10 Home operating system is installed. 8 gigs of RAM.

Flaws: Windows 10 Home operating system. In the version for almost 60 thousand you can also install Pro. Pro version has more wide possibilities, but for most users Home is enough. But if you are interested in the fundamental difference between these two versions, we recommend that you look at this comparison table on the Microsoft website.

Transformable laptop from 30,000 rubles

Acer ASPIRE R5-471T-76DT (49,990 rubles). If in the case of laptops from 15 to 30 thousand, HP models took the podium, then in the higher price segment Acer dominates. The model from Acer is equipped with a powerful Intel Core i7 processor of the Sky Lake generation), 8 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD. Windows 10 Home is installed as the operating system. It also weighs less than 2 kg.

Flaws: the processor is not the latest generation, and in the case of a transformer I would like to have Android on board.

Ultrabook from 30,000 rubles

And again we recommend a model from Acer - . The laptop weighs only 1.3 kg, has a 13-inch FHD display, an Intel Core i5 processor (Sky Lake generation) and 8 GB of RAM. The ultrabook runs on the Windows 10 Home operating system. According to the manufacturer, Acer ASPIRE S5-371-50DF is capable of working for 11 hours without an outlet.

Flaws: Perhaps I would like a screen that is not FHD, but at least 2K, but this is pure nitpicking.

Laptops from 60 to 90 thousand rubles

In this category, the choice is even wider, but here I would recommend looking more towards performance, without being distracted by marketing tricks. For example, why do you need a super clear 4K screen on 15 inches? In my experience, 4K should only be chosen if you have a display diagonal of 23 inches or larger, otherwise you simply will not see any difference from FHD and especially 2K. Essentially, 4K is only noticeable when you consume content of the appropriate resolution: in games or movies.

What laptop specs can you expect in this segment?

CPU: In almost all models in this category, manufacturers install Intel Core i7 of the Kaby Lake generation.

Screen: I recommend choosing the option with FHD resolution

Graphic arts: Nvidia GTX 1060.

RAM: 16 GB.

What you definitely won't get: Nvidia GTX 1070.

Desktop laptop up to 90,000 rubles

We liked the model from MSI. It fully satisfies the conditions described above: an Intel Core i7 Kaby Lake processor is installed, GTX video card 1060, 16 GB of RAM, 1000 GB HDD, 128 GB SSD. All the necessary connectors are present, including USB Type C. In general, if you have always wanted to play games on a laptop, then (78,080 rubles) is your choice.

Flaws: Perhaps I would like a larger SSD of 256 GB or more.

Transformable laptop up to 90,000 rubles

(89,990 rubles). Powerful convertible laptop from Lenovo, Processors - Intel Core i5 or i7 generation Sky Lake or Kaby Lake (depending on configuration) Windows 10 Home or Pro (depending on configuration), 4K resolution (in such models it is important because people also use the transformer as a tablet), 16 GB of RAM. Built-in 512 GB SSD storage. Relatively light weight. Battery life is 8 hours according to the manufacturer. An excellent option if you need a transformer, and not a “desktop” gaming laptop.

Flaws: proximity to the maximum established price value: the “transformer” costs almost 90 thousand.

Ultrabooks up to 90,000 rubles

No options - (from 80 thousand rubles). Firstly, it weighs 1 kg. Secondly, it has an extremely clear screen (2304*1440 pixels). Thirdly, well, this is Apple, does anything else need to be explained?

Flaws: only one USB Type C port, used simultaneously for information transfer and charging.

However, if you hate the Apple company with every fiber of your soul, then we can recommend as an alternative. Yes, it is out of the category of up to 90,000 rubles (namely 99,000 rubles), but just look at the characteristics: Intel Core i7, 13-inch 4K screen, 512 GB SSD drive, Windows 10 Home, USB ports Type C, as well as support for memory cards. Oh yes, the model from Asus is only 1.1 kg.

Flaws:“exit” beyond the limit of 90 thousand rubles, but you can save money by purchasing a model with a smaller SSD capacity.

Laptops costing more than 90 thousand rubles

On the other hand, there are no compromises between price and quality: you are guaranteed to receive great laptop with high performance, as well as other nice features that you rarely see in laptops of a lower price category - premium case materials, enhanced protection from moisture or falls, etc.

On our own behalf, we can add that in this price category it is worth looking aside MacBook Pro , unless you plan to play games on your laptop. Firmware from the Apple company usually lasts quite a long time, being an excellent symbiosis of software and hardware. Moreover, Apple computers most often chosen by people who work with video: there is an excellent video editor called Final Cut Pro.

If you have a lot of money that you are willing to spend on a really powerful gaming laptop, then we recommend taking a closer look at the 18-inch one (165,000 rubles). This is a real gaming monster: it has an Intel Core i7 (Kaby Lake generation), an FHD screen, and 32 GB of RAM. As graphic solution Nvidia GTX 1080 is in favor. This configuration is enough to run any modern games with “Ultra” graphics settings.

We recommend it as an ultrabook. This “baby” is equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor (Kaby Lake generation), a 4K screen, 16 GB of RAM, a 1024 GB (1 TB) SSD drive, time battery life According to the manufacturer, it is about 10 hours. All this splendor costs approximately 130 thousand rubles.

Instead of a conclusion:

The worst thing you can do in the end is to buy a laptop, as they say, “for the eyes”, without carefully considering it before purchasing.

Even if you are planning to buy a laptop in an online store, do not be too lazy to look at it “live” first: are you satisfied with the quality of the matrix and body assembly, and is it comfortable to work on? The more picky you are, the more likely you are to buy a truly high-quality laptop that will delight you, not disappoint you, now and in the future.

Used laptops have only one advantage over new devices - more low price. But this single advantage often decides the most important question– to be or not to be a purchase at all. The cost of a used laptop in some cases can reach only a third of the cost of a new device model with similar power parameters on store shelves. This refers to the acceptable condition of the used laptop. How to choose a laptop on the secondary market computer equipment and not make a mistake with the choice? We will look into the nuances of buying used laptops below.

1. Approximate purchase amount

The first question you need to decide on before purchasing new laptop, although when choosing a used device, this is the approximate purchase price. The purchase amount will determine the hardware power required to perform certain user tasks. So, to buy a used gaming laptop you need to have an amount of $400-500 (at least). Having $200-300, you can start looking for a good productive business or multimedia device. And for $100 or less you can buy antiques, unsuccessful results of manufacturers’ experiments to create a budget laptop niche, as well as good devices, but with defects.

Based on the performance of the laptop, you can usually count on an amount cheaper than the indicated prices only if you are considering the possibility of purchasing a device with the prospect of repair or upgrade.

2. Secondary market for computer equipment

Where to buy a used laptop? It is most profitable to purchase used laptops, naturally, from their direct owners. The reasons why primary owners of computer devices may sell them do not necessarily have to do with their shortcomings. Some people urgently need money, others have grown up to purchase a more productive laptop, and others simply do not need the device. But when purchasing a laptop from its primary owner, the buyer must be more or less computer savvy. Primary owners do not always clearly know the characteristics, pros and cons of the product being sold. Therefore, in such cases, the rule “the eyes saw what they took” often works.

You can buy a used laptop profitably if you look for it in pawn shops for a long time. Naturally, you have a better chance of stumbling upon a successful model at a good price in big cities. Prices for used equipment, of course, depend on pricing policy each individual network of pawnshops. But often prices in pawnshops are acceptable for buyers, since such establishments ensure their benefits through enslaving transactions with the primary owners of the equipment. When purchasing a laptop from a pawnshop, it is also advisable to have at least basic knowledge in the computer field. You won't find it behind the counter of a pawnshop computer genius. As a rule, sellers of such establishments understand a little about everything, but nothing in particular. And they often make contact with customers reluctantly, with caution, suspecting each of them is an operational employee.

Neither in the case of the primary buyer, nor in the case of the pawnshop, count on warranty obligations the manufacturer is not worth it. The first ones rarely sell computer device within the warranty period, which is usually 1 year, less often 2 years. And if they do sell them, they are used laptops with a small percentage of wear and tear, and, as a rule, are not much cheaper than new devices. Pawnshops are not required to provide guarantees for equipment, but individual chains can set their own rules for allocating a certain deadline for buyers to test the purchase and make claims regarding its technical condition. For used laptops with a warranty from the seller, you need to go to specialized consignment stores.

Thrift stores where you can buy a used laptop are often located at computer service centers. At such points, computer equipment from the primary owners may be sent to the commission in as-is condition. But equipment that has been restored after a breakdown can also be sold. Thrift stores at service centers, as a rule, give their guarantee - from 1 to 3 months. In most cases, points of sale of used computer equipment at service centers employ professionals who can provide competent advice. But the price for used laptops at such points is, accordingly, too high.

On Internet trading platforms - auctions and online bulletin boards - you can find various sellers of used laptops. These can be the primary owners, private resellers, and the same consignment stores. With Internet advertisements, the picture is the same as with pawnshops: if you are patient and monitor offers in your city for a long time, sooner or later a profitable option will surely appear. The larger the city, the correspondingly more offers. Contacting sellers from other cities that are so geographically distant that, along with the travel costs, the purchase becomes unprofitable is a risky business. They will help reduce risks in such cases. general rules shopping for goods online:

• Demonstration of the laptop and its technical condition via Skype;
• Studying the ratings and reviews of the seller on the trading platform;
• Careful study of the advertisement (sellers who are more expensive in their ratings, as a rule, list all the shortcomings of the product);
• Application of various transaction protection mechanisms offered by trading platforms;
• Payment by cash on delivery after inspection and testing of the laptop upon receipt of the parcel at the post office.

3. Hardware specifications

Hardware characteristics that you need to keep in mind when choosing a laptop are the screen, processor, amount of RAM, HDD and a video card if you purchase a gaming device.

3.1. Screen

When buying a used device, you should focus on the size and integrity of the screen. All other screen parameters should be preferred to the internal filling of the device.

3.2. CPU

Whether a powerful processor is needed is a question for each individual case. If long battery life is a priority, you may want to look at a laptop with a low-voltage processor. If you need a productive device, you need to focus on full-fledged processors, starting with Intel Core i3 (without the addition of the letter “U” in the model name).

Processors from Intel should be preferred to those from AMD. Many people are moving away from this rule, since AMD has learned to make competitive processors for desktop computers. But, alas, in the processor market for portable devices AMD still has a lot to learn from Intel. Energy efficient AMD processors for laptops are monstrous.

The approximate starting frequency of the processor is at least 2 GHz. The number of cores is at least 2. Everything else is considered based on the market situation.

If you are satisfied with the laptop in many respects, but it is the processor that is in doubt, you can consider replacing it with a more productive one. To do this, the processor must be removable. But this kind of operation must be carefully calculated for the upgrade to be financially profitable.

3.3. RAM

The minimum RAM is 4 GB, the optimal option is 8 GB; for gaming laptops more is possible, if the other hardware characteristics meet the requirements of resource-intensive games. The RAM of modern laptop models, as a rule, is subject to upgrade. But this point still needs to be clarified and, again, calculated.

3.4. HDD

Regarding disk space laptop, the guideline should be the total volume, presence of SSD or at least the possibility of installing it.

3.5. Video card

Modern high-performance laptops are equipped with two video cards - an integrated one for non-resource-intensive tasks and a discrete one for performing complex graphics processing operations. But, alas, the presence of two video cards does not mean that the device is gaming, as many believe. Discrete video cards can be with a 64-bit memory bus and, accordingly, are much more productive than integrated video cards. It only makes sense to overpay for video cards from Nvidia when purchasing a device for specific purposes. The best option"price quality" - ATI video cards Radeon with a 128-bit bus (at least).

3.6. Where to check laptop hardware specifications

Using this service, you can check whether the seller is lying when indicating certain characteristics of components in the ad. But with the names of laptop models the situation is more complicated. The fact is that the same laptop models can have different configurations and differ only in additions in the name, for which it is not always possible to find help on the Internet. If the dialogue with the seller goes well, you can ask him detailed characteristics, defined using programs, AIDA64, CPU-Z and their analogues in the form of a screenshot or text format.

4. Battery

Failure of non-removable laptop batteries, such as those found in, for example, manufacturers Apple and Dell, can become a real headache. Whereas removable battery can be replaced independently, to replace a non-removable laptop you will have to take it to a specialized service center and pay not only new battery, but also services for its replacement.

Used laptops are often sold with batteries that do not hold a charge. In such cases, it is necessary to add the cost of replacing the battery to the cost of the device and draw a conclusion about the profitability of the purchase, starting from the overall figure.

5. Operating system and drivers

For those with experience Windows installations the laptop operating system may be of interest only in terms of availability license key. And then if we're talking about about the required version of Windows. In fact, the disk with the driver package is not of particular value. Drivers for individual components can be downloaded from the official website of the laptop or component manufacturer, as well as using special programs– driver managers. It only makes sense to be interested in the topic of laptop drivers in order to adapt them to current versions Windows or other desktop operating systems. However, when buying a rare device or from a little-known manufacturer, the issue of the availability of drivers on the disk and their compatibility with the desired Windows version(or another operating system) needs to be taken seriously.

6. Age

Modern models With careful handling and regular hygiene, laptops can last for 10 years. In many ways, physical wear and tear determines the attitude of its owner towards the device. By the way, asking how long ago the laptop was cleaned from dust and when the thermal paste was replaced will clarify a lot about the seller if it is the primary owner. The seller’s bewilderment in response can be turned to your advantage by trying to reduce the price of the device by at least the amount of the cost of this service at the service center.

But with obsolescence, things are more complicated. Therefore, even to perform simple operations you should not take a laptop budget segment. The best option would be a device with the possibility of an upgrade, and ideally from a popular manufacturer and a top-end model.

7. Surface inspection

The first thing you need to do is inspect the body to see if there are any cracks, chips, abrasions, deep scratches. If the seller did not indicate these points in the ad, they may be grounds for reducing the price. Clear signs that the device has been dropped or otherwise mechanical damage, may indicate possible damage to the internal filling, in particular, such a serious problem as cracks in motherboard. You need to carefully check the keyboard - are all the keys in place, are they working, are there any signs of liquid spillage (keys sticking). It is also necessary to inspect all external ports (charging, USB, audio and video output, network, etc.).

Illustrations for the article taken from wikihow.com

Have a great day!

Your faithful laptop begins to act up, reminding him of his age. It's unlikely that anyone will blame you for wanting to buy a new one, but it's better to wait a few months. The models currently offered by retailers will become obsolete in the very near future in light of the release of the Intel Haswell line of processors.

I would especially like to mention MacBooks. First, an update for the OS X platform has become available for download today. Mountain Lion under index 10.8.4. Secondly, next week a conference will be held developers WWDC 2013, from which analysts expect line updates MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

Now let's get to the heart of the matter and look at the main points that Intel emphasizes.

Energy efficiency

Battery life is key in smartphones, and it's equally important in laptops (doubly important if you're looking to buy an Ultrabook). Thanks to Haswell, the power consumption of the next generation of laptops will be 30 percent lower compared to analogues Sandy Bridge. As for ultrabooks, Intel talks about 24 hours of operation on a single charge or up to ten days in standby mode.

Performance

Don't think that increasing battery life will have a negative impact on performance; vice versa. Haswell chips will make new laptops much more powerful. Suffice it to mention that the top ultrabook models that manufacturers will announce in the near future will be much faster and more powerful with longer battery life. We get two bonuses for the price of one.

Integrated Graphics

Speaking of performance, Haswell will also be paired with the new Iris brand of integrated graphics, which will allow you to play new, modern games (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 or Bioshock Infinite) on Ultrabooks.

For PC fans

The release of the Windows 8 operating system last year spawned a wave of innovative hybrids. Haswell's energy efficiency will make tablets much more reliable. The battery life of transformable laptops can be compared with the indicators tablet computers, and the next generation of ultrabooks will be much thinner and will have touch screens.

Have you changed your mind yet?

Most right choice- give it a month or two, unless you want to lighten your wallet and buy a laptop that will become obsolete in the short term.

Here you can answer both “yes” and “no”. And, under certain circumstances, both answers will be correct. Making a decision to purchase such a complex electronic device, How mobile computer, must be thoughtful and balanced.

Most often, those who need a PC constantly, and not just at home, decide to take this step. In fact, it is very convenient to go on a trip and take with you a compact device that can replace a bulky desktop computer.

It is more correct, of course, to purchase new electronics, but the issue of price remains acute, especially during the financial turmoil that is currently taking place. The desire to save money makes you think about buying a used laptop. And many do just that.

Cases are different. You can find both good and bad reviews about purchased devices that previously belonged to someone. To avoid being one of the unlucky ones, you should choose a used laptop without haste and with all possible care. In this case it is necessary great importance pay attention to various little things and details that may ultimately prove decisive.

Making the right choice

The very first thing when choosing a used laptop, as when choosing any used item, is to conduct a thorough external inspection. Don't be shy about the seller and rush to conclusions. It is necessary to carefully examine the device from all sides and conduct an inspection for the presence of chips and cracks in the body parts. Their presence speaks volumes about falls and/or blows suffered. They can cause failures various components hardware part.

However, you should not be too demanding. Like any item that is used normally, a laptop is also subject to wear and tear. This manifests itself in the appearance of various abrasions, scratches, and erasing of inscriptions on the device’s keyboard. You shouldn’t find fault with this, but you can point it out and ask for a commensurate reduction in the price.

Then it makes sense to turn on the computer. If you do not have special knowledge, then it will be difficult for you to judge the “health” of each specific PC. To diagnose the condition, you can use pre-prepared utilities that will allow you to determine with sufficient accuracy the condition and remaining life of important system components.

Visually, you can see how quickly the operating system loads, check whether the declared parameters correspond to the actual ones, check the state of the matrix and the functionality of the keyboard.

The matrix should be checked for secure fastening at the bend of the machine halves and for the presence of broken pixels. You can see them using special software, or by displaying a white picture on the screen. At the same time, you need to understand that even on new matrices there are 1-2 dead pixels in different areas of the display. If they are arranged in a heap, then this indicates that the life of the matrix is ​​coming to an end and it will soon require an expensive replacement.

After the laptop has been running for a few minutes under load, you need to check its temperature conditions. Overheating of the case and the noise of running fans indicate that the cooling system requires cleaning.

Demand guarantees!

Unpleasant situations should be discussed with the seller in advance; it is better not to take his word for it, but take a written receipt from him, which indicates his warranty obligations. It is reasonable to set the period at least six months. You can also ask to provide the original packaging from the car, accompanying documents and a receipt confirming that the device was purchased in a store.

There are countless cases when, after purchase, used laptops begin to “fail,” and defects and damage that were not noticed during inspection “climb out.” This leads either to complete failure of the device or to financial costs for repairs.

You need to be prepared in advance for such a development of events. It is important to know where you can buy everything you need to repair your laptop. Buying spare parts for laptops at “BEST DETALI” means saving your time and money. More details at the link.

In the harsh modern realities, many top laptop models are not available to everyone. Finding a portable PC that is powerful, convenient, reliable and inexpensive at the same time is a fantasy task. Marketers are aware of this, and therefore quickly responded to the decline in demand for laptops above $500. Advertisements for “stylish”, “light” and “fast” laptops, priced at 5-7 thousand hryvnia, can be found on the Internet, on television and in leaflets handed out on the street or carried by store representatives. However, advertised models do not always turn out to be convenient and productive in real conditions. In this article, we’ll try to figure out whether among ultra-budget laptops there are options suitable for everyday work.

This is not a review of good cheap laptops in a traditional format, but material in a slightly different direction. Budget class laptops (up to $400) presented in the price.ua catalog by Ukrainian stores were selected for analysis. The selection of models was made based on popularity among resource users. After all, the more people are interested in a laptop, the more it is advertised, therefore, this is what sellers will offer to customers.

Cheap laptops are usually purchased by people on a tight budget, either as a primary computer or as a complement to a long-standing (and aging) desktop PC. They are purchased for schoolchildren or students. Also, people who are far from IT, but want to acquire a modern universal PC for reasonable money, are interested in such computers. Unlike the same MacBook Air from Apple, they are used not as an alternative to a desktop in some cases (business trips, vacations, etc.), but as a full-fledged and self-sufficient device. Therefore, devices that met two main requirements were selected for analysis.

• Low price. The selection of laptops for analysis was compiled taking into account a budget of up to $400 (about 10,500 hryvnia at the current exchange rate).
• Decent screen size. A 10-12″ diagonal is enough to watch a movie on the go, quickly view and edit a document, work with business correspondence. But for a wider range of tasks this is not enough, so attention was paid only to models with 14-16″.

When choosing models for analysis, we took into account not just the 10 most popular laptops, but also their manufacturers. Often on adjacent lines of the rating there are modifications of the same model that are slightly different clock frequency processor or memory. In this case, only one of the versions was taken for consideration.

Analysis of the capabilities of budget laptops

The subject of the analysis was the capabilities of portable PCs and their compliance with the requirements of modern software. Criteria such as productivity were considered central processor and its capabilities, battery and number of ports for connecting peripherals. Memory (working and permanent) was also analyzed. The main purpose of the study is to find out whether cheap laptops are worth buying, whether they are suitable for use as a main PC, or whether they do not have enough capabilities.

Integrated graphics are of little importance today, since even budget smartphones and tablets (not to mention laptops) can handle HD video playback. In other tasks, the load will be even lower, and playing new 3D games on a cheap laptop is like participating in Formula 1 on a “humpbacked” Zaporozhets. Therefore, no attention was paid to the video processor.

To form an assessment, make comparisons and identify the best budget laptop among those considered, each important characteristic was assessed on a five-point scale. 1 point means complete non-compliance with modern requirements, 5 points is the highest mark. The overall laptop score is calculated as GPA, typed with individual characteristics.

The following components were assessed:

• CPU.
• RAM.
• Disk drive.
• Expansion ports.
• Battery capacity.

ACER ASPIRE ES1-522-238W (NX.G2LEU.027) — from 5858 UAH

ACER ASPIRE ES1-522-238W is one of the cheapest laptops available for sale in Ukrainian stores. His capabilities are also quite modest. Screen - standard TFT TN, 15.6 inches, 1366x768 pixels.

The central processor is a dual-core AMD E1-7010 chip operating at a frequency of up to 1.5 GHz. The solution is quite economical (overheating is practically eliminated, and the battery is consumed rationally), but it cannot boast of performance. Its performance is at the level of single-core processors 12 years old. It cannot provide anything other than web surfing with a minimum number of tabs. Even MS Office 2013 will slow down with large documents, so the score is 2 points.

The RAM capacity of the laptop is 2 GB, expansion possibilities are not reported. Considering that this amount of RAM is stated as minimal, in Windows requirements 10, you shouldn’t expect a miracle. A browser with a couple of tabs, an Explorer window, a couple of applications in the background - that's all that will fit in RAM. Therefore the rating is 3.

The storage used is a standard 2.5″ hard drive with 500 GB capacity, which is quite enough for any basic needs. The score is 4.5, since for 5 points it should not be a HDD, but a high-speed SSD.

The laptop has 1 USB3 port, 2 USB2 ports, HDMI and a LAN port. There is also a card reader, and the 3.5 mm jack is combined. The ports are located on the rear panel, so protruding flash drives and wires will not interfere. For this, the laptop received a score of 4 points.

The laptop battery is modest, 3500 mAh, 3 cells. But thanks to economical hardware, it will provide up to 4 hours of web surfing or 3 hours of document editing. Battery rating: 4 points.

The final score of the laptop is 3.5 points

LENOVO IDEAPAD G50-45 (80E300HCUA) — from 5849 UAH

LENOVO IDEAPAD G50-45 is another ultra-budget laptop in the same class. It is equipped with a typical 15.6-inch TN screen with HD-Ready resolution of 1366x768 pixels.

The laptop processor is a dual-core AMD E1-6010, with a clock frequency of 1.35 GHz and Radeon graphics R2. It is even weaker, and would look fine on a tablet, but not on a laptop. The chip is of little use for serious tasks; its rating is 1 point.

The same minimum 2 GB of RAM allows you to use Windows 10, but if you open a dozen tabs in the browser, the brakes cannot be avoided. There is enough memory to watch a movie, quickly edit a document, correspond or organize a video call on Skype and other instant messengers. But if the goal is something more serious, then there is not enough memory. Its final score is 3 points.

A 2.5-inch SATA HDD with 500 GB capacity is responsible for storing the system and user data. A 64 GB SSD would have looked more attractive and would have partially mitigated the CPU brakes, but it’s still not bad, 4 points.

On the sides of the case there is 1 USB3 port, a pair of USB2, HDMI and VGA for connecting to a monitor or TV, a card reader and a 3.5 mm jack. The number and placement of ports is a three, since the headphone jack and USB port are located on the right side in front. Those who like to use a mouse will definitely not be happy.

The LENOVO IDEAPAD G50-45 battery has more capacious cells, there are 4 of them in total. Due to the economical hardware and a good battery, you can expect 5 hours of operation from the laptop. Autonomy rating: 4.5 points.

The final score of the laptop is 3.1 points

ASUS X540SA-XX010D — from 6799 UAH

ASUS X540SA-XX010D is a higher-class laptop, and it costs more. The laptop display is the same, 15.6″, 1366x768 pixels, on a TN matrix. But the rest of the hardware is more serious; the model looks more interesting than the previous ones.

The processor is a dual-core Intel Celeron N3050 with a frequency of 1.6-2.1 GHz. Also a very modest solution, but with higher potential. The performance level is at the level of early desktop processors with 2 cannonballs, which still have not lost their powder in their flasks. It is quite capable of coping with web surfing, and editing documents is also capable. You can even play something old, like Stalker, Need For Speed Carbon or even Crysis, so the rating is 3 points.

The RAM capacity is 4 GB, there is a second free slot for another 4 GB (the expansion will cost 500 hryvnia). Memory amounts are acceptable even for a budget desktop PC in 2016, so the RAM rating is 5 points.

Built-in storage – 2.5-inch 500 GB hard drive, with SATA interface. There is enough memory for the system, documents, and multimedia files. Storage score: 4.5 points.

The laptop has 1 USB2, 1 USB3 and 1 USB Type C port. There is HDMI and VGA for picture output, and a 3.5 mm jack for audio. There is also network port for a wired Internet connection. For ports, the laptop receives a score of 5 points.

The battery capacity is 33 Wh, the number of cells is 3. Thanks to the combination powerful battery and economical hardware, the battery will withstand approximately 7 hours of load when surfing the web. The autonomy rating is a solid five.

LENOVO IDEAPAD 100-15 (80MJ003YUA) — from 6298 UAH

LENOVO IDEAPAD 100-15 is a laptop with a 15.6-inch display (resolution 1366x768 pixels), featuring a thin (2.3 cm) body. It is equipped with economical hardware, rather suitable for large tablet, But it is not all that bad.

The processor is an Intel Celeron M2840, which has a frequency of up to 2.16 GHz. Graphics accelerator - Intel HD. The processor demonstrates performance, although not much, but superior to Atoms. You can play old games (released before 2010) on a laptop. Processor rating: 3.5 points.

The RAM capacity is 4 GB, which is enough for multimedia tasks, web surfing, working with documents, etc. It cannot be expanded, so the score is 4 points.

Built-in memory for LENOVO IDEAPAD 100-15 500 GB, used regular HDD standard size 2.5″. It gives the laptop a solid 4.5 score.

Of the ports on the case, there is one USB3 and one USB2. There are also HDMI, 3.5 mm mini-jack and cable network connector. Their placement is organized well (as for a right-handed person), so the rating of 3.5 points is caused only by the absence of a third USB.

The 3-cell battery has a capacity of 24 Wh, which is enough for approximately 5 hours of battery life. For such indicators, the laptop can be given 4 points.

The final score of the laptop is 3.9 points

ASUS X555SJ-XO003D — from 9251 UAH

ASUS X555SJ-XO003D differs more from previous comparison heroes powerful iron. However, it has the same screen size in common with them. The matrix has a diagonal of 15.6″, a resolution of 1366x768 pixels, created using TN technology.

The laptop has an economical quad-core processor Intel Pentium N3700 running at 1.6 GHz. Its capabilities are sufficient for any task that can be assigned to a budget laptop. Graphics processing is handled by the cost-effective built-in Intel video card HD and powerful GeForce 920M. A successful combination that is suitable not only for multimedia tasks and office work, but also games released before 2015. For this, the laptop gets a solid 5 points.

The amount of RAM is 4 GB, the second slot allows you to add the same amount. Decent volume, as for an inexpensive laptop; the memory is enough for office work, web surfing, and something more complex. Games will also not suffer from a shortage of RAM, so the rating is 5 points.

The internal storage capacity is 1 TB, which is definitely enough for a laptop. The ASUS X555SJ-XO003D has a regular 2.5″ HDD installed, so the rating is not 5 points, but 4.75.

There are 3 USB ports on board - a pair of USB3 and one USB2. There are HDMI, VGA, LAN and a headset jack. If it weren’t for the placement of one USB on the right, we could give it a five, but that’s only 4 points.

The battery consists of 4 cells and its capacity is 37 Wh. The hardware of the laptop is more power-hungry than that of the previous comparison heroes, so it will last 4-5 hours. However, it deserves 4.5 points, since for a laptop with discrete graphics and a 15.6″ screen, this is a good indicator of battery life.

The final score of the laptop is 4.65 points

HP 255 G5 W4M53EA — from 7199 UAH

HP 255 G5 W4M53EA is a budget laptop with a thin (24 mm) and light (1.95 kg) body with a practical design. Its display is created using VA technology, so it has better viewing angles than TN. Size and resolution - standard, 15.6″, 1366x768 pixels.

The HP 255 G5 processor is a quad-core AMD A6-7310 with a clock speed of up to 2 GHz. The integrated Radeon R4 video is responsible for graphics processing, which is of little use for games released after 2010. However, the processor part has high (for a budget laptop) performance. The CPU can handle office programs, and with web surfing, it even handles photo editors or engineering software. Since the CPU is rated, not the graphics, the rating is 5.

The laptop has 4 GB of RAM, with a second slot for expansion up to 8 GB. As stated above, the performance is quite decent for a modern budget PC. For this, the HP 255 G5 W4M53EA gets 5 points.

The 2.5″ hard drive installed in the laptop has a capacity of 500 GB. For it you can give the laptop a strong 4.5 points.

On board the laptop there are 2 USB2 ports, 1 USB3. There are also HDMI, VGA, LAN and a headset jack. One of the USB connectors is installed on the right side, so the score for the ports is four.

The battery capacity, consisting of 3 cells, is 31 Wh. Not much, but for about 4 hours of load the HP 255 G5 should hold steady. For the battery, you can give him a strong four.

The final score of the laptop is 4.5 points

LENOVO IDEAPAD 300-15 (80M300G4UA) — from 8411 UAH

LENOVO IDEAPAD 300-15 refers to laptops equipped with discrete graphics. Its screen has a standard diagonal and resolution (15.6 inches, 1366x768 pixels). The case is thin (23mm) but heavier than some competitors (2.3kg).

The processor in the laptop is a quad-core Intel Pentium N3710, with a frequency of 1600-2560 MHz. Graphics - built-in Intel HD + GeForce 920M with 1 GB of memory. The LENOVO IDEAPAD 300-15 CPU is quite modern and provides decent (by laptop standards) performance. For this, the laptop received an honest 5 points.

The amount of RAM in the basic configuration is 4 GB DDR3. You can double it when the RAM shortage starts to appear, but in 2016 you can still get by with 4 GB. For this, the LENOVO IDEAPAD 300-15 score is 5 points.

The laptop's hard drive has a capacity of 500 GB; it is a regular 2.5″ HDD. For the storage, you can give the laptop a solid four points.

The ports on the case are one USB3, two USB2, HDMI, VGA, LAN and a headset jack. For the number of ports, you can give a score of 5, but there are as many as 2 USB connectors on the right, so the total is 3.5 points.

The battery consists of 4 cells; the manufacturer does not specify the capacity. Battery life when playing video reaches 4 hours. For this you can give LENOVO IDEAPAD 300-15 4 points.